Differences in Risk Perception of Occupational Exposure Between Experts and Frontline Nurses in Infectious Disease Outpatient Clinics

Objective: To analyze differences in the perception of occupational exposure risk factors between experts and frontline nurses in infectious disease outpatient settings, and provide evidence for stratified training and management strategies. Methods: A convenience sample of 74 participants was enrolled, including 33 experts (nursing administrators, infection control specialists, and clinical experts) and 41 frontline nurses from infectious disease departments. A 15‑item risk factor scale previously developed by our team was used, with each item rated on a 5‑point Likert scale for importance. The Mann‑Whitney U test was applied to compare scores between groups, and Cohen’s d was calculated as a measure of effect size. Results: Experts gave higher overall ratings than nurses, with higher scores on 12 of the 15 items. Significant differences (P < 0.05) were found for 6 items. The five largest discrepancies were: insufficient knowledge of protective measures (difference value of 0.77, P = 0.001, d = 0.847), bare‑handed handling of contaminated sharps (difference value of 0.66, P = 0.026, d = 0.614), non‑standard needle withdrawal (difference value of 0.63, P = 0.035, d = 0.609), improper sharps disposal (difference value of 0.58, P = 0.027, d = 0.583), and complacency/overconfidence (difference value of 0.52, P = 0.022, d = 0.593). No significant differences were observed for environmental factors (workload, high‑risk time periods, high‑risk scenarios) or some person‑related factors (junior staff, physical/mental status). Conclusion: Experts and frontline nurses hold markedly different perceptions, particularly regarding protective knowledge, operational procedures, and psychological/behavioral factors. Nurses may underestimate the importance of these elements. Occupational protection training should strengthen both knowledge and practical skills, with targeted interventions to bridge the cognitive gap.